Rocky, R.I.P.: Did the Wrong One Die?

A moment of silence, please, for the Rocky Mountain News, which published its final edition. I have a sentimental attachment to the paper because many years ago it helped me survive as a freelance. Its feature editors bought the arts stories I pitched them. They didn’t have a large freelance budget, so they didn’t buy as often as other major metro dailies. And they didn’t pay as well. But every sale helped. The Denver Post, the Rocky’s rival, never bought anything. Not once. As I recall, it never even responded to my pitches. I don’t live in Colorado and don’t read either paper. Maybe the Post is less aloof these days. Times change. But let me take a wild guess: The better of the two papers — the one with more punch and personality — is the one that died.